[Tomkat]

I don't want to preach.

Spending any decent length of time in the chemo wards at a hospital really is enough to put anyone off the idea of smoking for life. I never smoked anyway, but that really was the ultimate deterrent.

The chemo wards had lymphoma and lung cancer patients in on the same day (Friday). I felt rough enough on mine - I was only hooked up for an hour and then felt hungover/sick (when I say hungover - imagine not being able to move from a lying position for 24 hours without HAVING to vomit for 5 minutes straight) for a day. There's no way you can put that kind of feeling into words.

The people receiving chemo for lung cancer brought about by smoking were hooked up for half a day - 4-5 hours. They would often vomit spontaneously whilst receiving the chemicals through the IV. Add to this the coughing, looking ill, needing a cigarette and the cramped conditions in the ward and you have an idea of how shit these people must feel.

When people start to get anticipatory-nausea though, that really is an indication of how utterly shit chemo is. The clue is in the name. People vomitting, sweating and feeling faint just from the IDEA of the chemotherapy - this is before they've even been hooked up.

I've done my best to describe how absolutely soul-destroying and depressing a chemo-ward is, but unless you've experienced it you really have no idea. Seeing that is enough to deter me from smoking for life though.

I was unlucky - I had lymphoma and the causes of that are still more-or-less unknown. Smoking and lung cancer are linked though. Don't **** your life up and get it.


In conclusion - well done on giving up, or trying to. You're doing the right thing.